The present invention relates to a slim line mechanism for actuating blind mate cards.
In various computing applications, it is necessary to install memory or processor cards into docking stations of servers, personal computing devices, etc. Often, the cards include a chassis, an actuating mechanism, a printed circuit board (PCB) and a connector. The chassis supports the various components within an outer wall and is installed within a slot of the docking station, the PCB includes a plurality of electrical components for carrying out various application specific processes, the connector electrically couples the electrical components to a connector of the docking station within the slot and the actuating mechanism places the PCB and the connector in their correct positions once the chassis is installed within the slot.
Since docking station slots are often relatively thin as compared to the thickness of the PCB, the actuating mechanism must also be relatively thin as well to permit the chassis to fit within the slots. This required thickness has previously led to the actuating mechanism being prone to failures, such as separation of the actuating mechanism component parts.